Wringer construction



June, 1941.

J. MKULASEK WRINGER CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 21., 1936 2 Sheets-Shea?I 1 June 3, 1941.

WRINGER CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 2 1, 1936 v2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r Ad J. MIKULAsEK 2,243,972

Patented June 3, 1941 WRINGEB CONSTRUCTION John sek, Newton, Iowa, assignor to The Company, Newton, Iowa, a corporation of Delaware A Application November 21, 1936, Sci No. 112,062

(ill. G-M) 7 Claims.

The present invention relates to a Wringer construction and more particularly to a nov'el means and mechanism for connecting and disconnecting the operative parts of the Wringer wherebyl to add to the convenience of the operator.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel wringer construction and novel operating mechanism therefor. In its preferred embodiment, the disclosed swinging wringer is provided with gear shifting mechanism for operating the wringer rolls in either direction and an indexing pin for retaining the wringer in xed position, selectively actuated through a single control handle 2li that the wringer can not be unlatched and swung in a horizontal plane except when the gear shifting mechanism is in neutral position andthe rolls are not being rotated.

A further object oi' the invention is to provide a novel construction of wringer head and mount` ing for the Wringer upon a washing machine.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel construction of indexing or 1atching means and mechanism for locking the wringer in a plurality of horizontal positions o1" adjustment.

A further object is to provide a novel construetion of wringer of the split type in which the 'upper roll is carried in members of the upper section pivotally mounted on the lower section or stationary part of the wringer frame, the latter `section carrying the lower roll. In this type of safety wringer, the upper section of the wringer and the upper roll may be instantaneously released by the operator and the sections and rolls widely separated.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of novel safety release mechanism whereby the rolls may be instantaneously separated by the operator and which release automatically stops the rotation of the rolls.

Another object is to provide a `novel clutch arrangement for automatically stopping the rotation of the rolls upon operation of the release mechanism for separating the wringer rolls.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, eiilciency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

The invention further resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and while I have shown therein a preferred embodiment, it

is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change, and comprehends other details, arrangements of parts, features and constructions without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the novel wringer.

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in vertical and longitudinal cross section through the novel wringer construction.

Fig. is a view in horizontal cross section taken on the line t-ii of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view in vertical cros on the line 5 5 of Fig, 3.

Fig. 6 is a view in vertical cross section taken on the line t-t of Fig. 3.

Fig. Gais a fragmentary view in side elevation of the tripping mechanism shown in dotted outline in Fig. 6.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the clutch mechanism for automatically stopping rotation of the lower rollupon operation of the release mechanism. y

Fig. 8 is a disassembled view of the driven shaft, lower roll shaft and coupling members.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view in vertical cross section of an alternate form of indexing member.

Referring more particularly to the disclosure in the drawings, the novel wringer i is of `the split type, and is supported and swings in a horizontal plane upon the post 2 which is generally mounted alongside the tub of a washing machine and xed thereto by means of a bracket 3. The Wringer is preferably removable as a unit from the post upon which it is swivelled, and isoperated by means of a vertical drive shaft i driven by any suitable power unit. At the upper end of this shaft is mounted a couplingl adapted to engage with the slotted end 6 of a stub shaft or stem i of a drive pinion B. A bearing portion 9 is formedin the post and in which is journalled the guide collar or bearing l0 pressed on the Wringer shaft il.

The upper end of the wringer post 2 is cupshaped at il and is also formed or provided with an upstanding sleeve i2 in which is mounted or suitably pressed one of the two spaced bushings i3 in which is swivelled a sleeve ortube i4 iixed in a plate l5 forming a closure for the base of the wringer head I6. Pressed in the tube or sleeve Il are spaced bearing bushings i1 and be low these is located a` cork oil seal i8, for the stub shaft or stern 1 of the drive pinion 8.

The drive pinion is adapted to mesh with and section taken drive either one of twin bevel gears i3 and 20,

fixed on or formed integrally with a sleeve 2l slidable on a square or polygonal stub shaft 22.

. This stub shaft is counterbored at its one end 23 head.

The`bevel gears I9 and 20 are shifted from a neutral position to either side to mesh with the drive pinion 8 to drive the lower roll 29 in either direction. T'his shifting is accomplished by means of a yoke 30 moved by an eccentrically located anti-friction roll or crank pin 3| operable -in a slot 32 in the yoke. This roll or crank pin is mounted on the lower face of a crank or head 33 provided with an upstanding stem 34 having two sides of its upper end flattened at 35 to loosely fit into a slot 36 in the single control handle 31 but pinned thereto. This mounting or connection forces the stem 34 and crank or head 33 to rotate as a unit whenever the handle or lever 31 is swungein either direction in a horizontal plane. 'I'his construction also permits the handle or lever 31 to be moved or tilted in a vertical plane to raise the stem 34 and crank 33 as the occasion requires, although these members are normally urged downwardly by a coil spring 38.

The body of the crank 33 is provided with an annular groove 39 for the reception of a yoke` 40. This yoke is provided with suitably spaced notches 4| for receiving the end of an indexing plunger 42 normally urged into indexing position by a spring 43. 'Ihese notches 4l locate the three manipulating positions of the crank or head 33 and control handle 31. The yoke 40 is held stationary by being anchored ,to the upper end 44 of a wringer index pin 45 slidably mounted in a guide hole 46. The lower end 41 of this index pin is adapted to seat in anyone of a plurality of indexing notches 48 in an annular index plate 43 mounted in the upper cup-shaped end ll by means of bolts or the like 50.

'Ihe indexing manipulation to raise the index pin 45 out of one of the notches 48, is only possible when the control handle 31 is turned to neutral position. At such time the crank or head 33 will be in the position shown in Fig. 4, with the interlocking set screw or pin 5i in a position coinciding with the groove 52 formed in the anged portion 53 of the crank or head. A downward pressure on the outer end of the control handle will raise the stem 34. crank or head 33 with the set screw or pin 5i received in the groove 52, yoke 40, and indexing pin 45 out of one of the notches 48. After the wringer has been rotated in a horizontal plane to a desired or adjusted position, release of the control handle will permit the spring 38 to move the indexing pin 45 into another of the indexing notches 43. It will thus be apparent that the wringer rolls must first be stopped from rotation before the indexing mechanism may be released to move the wringerrinto a new position of adjustment.

position shown in Fig. 4 to a position in which the plunger 42 seats in one of the other two notches 4l ,depending on the desired direction of rotation of the wringer, and the yoke 30 will be moved in its guideways 54 longitudinally of the stub shaft 22, to mesh either of the twin gears I9 or 20 with the drive pinion 8.

.In the preferred embodiment, the stub shaft 22 drives the shaft 55 of the lower roll 29 and this roll drives the upper roll 56 through a frictional driving contact, as distinguished from gearing. The lower shaft 55 has its one end splined at 51 and journalled in a spline coupling 58, while its other end is journalled in a. bearing 59 suitably mounted in the lower section 60 of the wringer frame 6 I Below the lower roll is tiltably mounted a drain plate 62 adapted to be automatically tilted on its opposite pivots 63 by means of a friction cam 64 mounted on the shaft 55, and

carrying a projection 65 adapted to impinge tainers 10 and 1l fastened in the opposite ends It will also be apparent that the gears must be of the upper cap or section 12 of the wringer frame. The opposite ends of the rear portion of the cap or section are each hingedly or pivotally mounted at 13 upon the upper end of an eye bolt 14 while the front of the cap or upper section is adapted to be latched at its opposite ends to a hook portion 15 of a bolt 16. Each of the bolts 14 and 13 is provided with a coil spring 11, the upper ends of which seat against shouldered portions 13 of the lower section 60 of the wringer frame while the lower end of each of the springs seats against a nut threaded onto the lower end of each bolt.

The upper section or cap 12 is releasably connected' at its opposite ends to the hook bolts 16 by means of a releasing device consisting of a cantilever 19, each pivotally mounted upon the pin 80. The outer end of each cantilever is provided with an anti-friction roll 8| while the inner end 82 of each cantilever is adapted to be engaged by an anti-friction roll 83 carried on a cam 34 on a longitudinally extending locking or tripping cam rod 85. A flat or leaf spring 83 has its outer end anchored on a boss 81 by means of a bolt or other securing means while its free end 89 seats against theundersurface of the inner end 32 of the cantilever to hold it in tripped position when it is disengaged from the hook portion 15 of the bolt 13. This construction is more clearly disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 758,409, filed December 20, 1934 and issued on January 23, 1940, as Patent No. 2,188,009.

Cam rod `35 extends beyond the inner end of the wringer cap or upper section 12 and upon this end is mounted a handle 90 for releasing the wringer rolls by either a push or pull on the handle. When the wringer is released by movement of the handle in either direction, the cam roll 83 will strike the cushion pad 9i! provided in each end of the wringer cap. This pad cushions the impact while cushion pads 92 are also provided adjacent the cam shaft for cushioning this member. Although the handle 30 is shown at the inner end of the wringer cap or upper section, it is to be understood that it may be mounted -in the middle of or at any other suitable location on the cam shaft or rod 95.

'I'he present invention also contemplates 4the provision of means for automatically stopping the rotation of thel lower roll. This mechanism is more particularly shown in Figs. 3, 1 and 8 of the drawings and consists of a coupling member 93 securely mounted on the end of the stub shaft 22 by means of a set screw or the like 94. This coupling member is provided with exterior splines 95 having their inner ends reduced at 96 to be received in the interior splines 91 of a coupling ring 98. Also mounted at the extreme end of the terior at |02 to be received in the interior splines 91 of the coupling ring 90.

The exterior contour of the coupling members 93 and 99, although shown preferably of. splined constructions, could be made in the shape of gear teeth of any suitable conguration. Upon lthese splines or teeth of these two coupling members is slidably tted the coupling ring 98. The interior splines 91 of this ring cause the two coupling members 93 and. 99 to be coupled together for torsional transmission of power for the lower roll 29 when the ring is moved into engagement with the splines 95 on the coupling mem-ber 93. The exterior of the ring 98 is provided with an annular peripheral groove |03 for the reception of the opposite arms or projections |04 of a yoke |05. This yoke is adapted to move the coupling ring 98 into and out of coupled position on the coupling member 93, it being understood that when this coupling ring is in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 7 the parts are locked together to drive the lower roll shaft 55 while when the ring 98 is moved to the right so as not to engage with the splines 95 on the coupling member 93, the lower roll shaft 55 is no longer locked to the stub shaft 22 and the lower roll is no longer driven.

The yoke |05. is yieldingly fastened to lthe wringer frame by means of a shoulder screw |06 and spring |01 so that it can rock over'the fulcrum; point |08. -This rocking movement is accomplished by means of a tension screw |09 carried at the lower end of one of the eye bolts 14 seating against the horizontal portion ||0 of the yoke.

In the split type of wringer, the upper 'bearing cap or section 12 is hingedly mounted at its opposite ends and at one side of the cap upon the tension eye bolts 14. or released, the upper wringer or bearing cap 12 receives a slight rocking movement that moves the tension eye bolt 14 vertically. Since' the eye bolt makes contact by means of its adjustable tension screw |09 with the horizontal arm of the yoke |05, it will be-apparent that the movement is transmitted to the coupling ring 98 so that as the bolt 14 moves up at the closing of the wringer, it releases the yoke and this yoke is then moved to its coupling position by means of the spring or springs |01 applying an upward pressure against the horizontal portion or arm H0 of the yoke. When the wringer is released the coil spring 11 cn the eye bolt 14 forces this bolt downwardly and the tension screw |09 presses downwardly on the horizontal arm portion of the yoke, rocking this yoke about its fulcrum As the wringer is closed point |08 in such manner that it forces the coupling ring 98 out of engagement with the coupling member 93 and disconnects the lower roller shaft 55 from the stub shaft 22.

In Fig. 3 the index plate 49 is disclosed as removably mounted in the cup-shaped or flared portion l of the wringer post. This is to permit an alignment ofthe wringer with the rectangular or straight side of a washing machine upon which it is mounted. In the case of a round tub no such adjustment is generally necessary and the index plate may be made integral with the fla-red portion i. This type of construction is shown in Fig. 9 of the drawingsin which the flared portion |I|a of the wringer post 2a is formed at its upper end with indexing notches 48a for receiving the index pin 45.

Having thus disclosed thel invention, I claim:

1. In a wringer construction, a drive pinion, a pair of driven gears adapted to be moved into a position where either of the gears is in meshing engagement with the pinion, a wringer roll adapted to be driven by either of the gears, latching mechanism including an indexing pin for locking the wringer against rotation in a horizontal plane, a crank head mounted in the casing for rotation and vertical movement, means carried by the crank head for shifting the gears upon` rotation of the head, an annular recess in the periphery of the head, a spring-pressed plunger carried in the body of the crank head and adapted to extend into the annular recess, a yoke formed to be received in the annular recess and carrying at its one end the indexing pin, spaced indexing notches in the yoke adapted to receive the plunger in any one of the notches and a control lever for operating the crank head.

2. In a wringer construction, a drive pinion, a pair of driven gears adapted to Ibe moved into a position where either of the gears is in meshing engagement with the pinion, a wringer roll adapted to be driven by either of the gears, latching mechanism including an indexing pin for locking the wringer against rotation in a horizontal plane, a crank head mounted in the casing for rotation and vertical movement, means carried by the `crank head for shifting the gears upon rotation of they head, an annular recess in the periphery of the head, a spring-pressed plunger carried in the body .of the crank head and adapted to extend yinto the annular recess, a yoke formed to be receivedfin the annular recess and carrying at its one end the indexing pin, which pin at its -opposite end locks the wringer against swinging movement, spaced indexing notches in the yoke adapted to receive the plunger in any one of the notches whereby to normally retain the crank head in neutral position orin position for rotating the wringer rolls in a desired direction, and a single control lever for rotating the crank headto engage either of the driven gears with the drive pinion, or for elevating the crank head to release the index pin.

3. In a wringer construction having an upper and a lower section each carrying a pressure roll, the upper section being pivotally mounted on the lower section along one side of the latter, a drive and driven shaft for rotating the lower roll, and clutching mechanism associated with the pivotal mounting and connecting the shafts, this mechanism including a sleeve fixed on the drive shaft, a sleeve xed on the driven shaft, a clutching sleeve slidable on the first mentioned sleeves and adapted to couple or uncouple these sleeves, and a yoke associated with the clutchingsleeve and pivotal mounting for uncoupling these sleeves and shafts when the upper section and roll are released from the lower section.

4. In a wringer construction having an upper and a lower section each carrying a pressure roll, a hinge bolt at each end of the lower section and at one side thereof, a. spring for retaining each of the bolts under tension, a drive and a driven shaft for rotating the lower roll, clutching mechanism on the shafts for coupling and uncoupling the same, and a pivotall;1 mounted yoke connecting the clutching mechanism to one of the hinge bolts and actuated by the bolt to uncouple the shafts when the sections are released and the rolls are separated.

5. In a wringer construction of the split type in which the wringer frame is divided with the upper section pivotally mounted on the lower section and each section carrying a pressure roll, spring-pressed members forming a pivotal mounting for the upper section, means for latching the sections and quickly releasing them to .widely separate the rolls whenever the occasion requires, a drive shaft for ldriving the wringer rolls, means for engaging the drive shaft with a source of power, and mechanism associated with one of the spring-pressed members for disengaging the drive shaft when the sections are released and the rolls separated.

6. In a wringer construction of the split type in which the winger frame is' divided lwith the upper section pivota'lly mounted on the lower section and each section carrying a pressure roll,

tension members by which the upper section is A driven shaft for driving the lower wringer roll..

and clutch mechanism associated with the tension members for clutching the shafts to drive the lower roll when the wringer sections are latched together and for declutching the shafts to stop the lower roll when the sections are released to separate the rolls.

7. In a wringer construction having an upper and lower section each carrying a pressure roll. means for pivotally mounting the upper section upon the lower in such manner that the upper section and its roll may be quickly released to separate this section and roll from the lower section and roll, a drive and a driven shaft for driving these rolls, and means controlled by the position of the pivotal mounting means for automatically coupling the shafts when the rolls are moved inte pressing engagement and uncoupling rolls.

' J OHIN i SEK. 

